Contemplating the Google operating system

Will the world ever see the Google operating system? In some ways, it already has in a low-key way (just like Google planned), although traditional thinking won't get you there. Although we have many local-based and installed programs that hundreds of millions of people use, like Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop, many computer users are increasingly moving much (if not all) online activity to one "platform" -- the web browser.

It's amazing what you can do with Mozilla Firefox -- set up a customized environment with one-click access to email and calendar, and even one-click access to online storage lockers and spreadsheets and word processing (oh my). Google appears to be trying to make first stabs at replicating many desktop chores with online alternatives. It's just the beginning, though.

While the world will probably have Microsoft Windows and MacOS (and the flavors of Linux, which are excellently implemented) for quite some time, the "Google OS" is alive and well -- something this article describes and I agree with. Sure, the Google OS is in its infancy stage, but for this computer user (myself), I know the world has changed when I am using Gmail Manager inside Firefox to manage all my email accounts and using Google Calendar in place of Microsoft Outlook. Add Google Toolbar into the mix, and the "semi-OS" becomes quite apparent -- and I use the computer a lot. The fact that web-based alternatives have won me over says something, yes?

Brian White has worked in various executive positions in technology and telecommunications companies, from small business to the Fortune 500 -- but found that he prefers the editing and writing arena and hasn't looked back. Brian is an avid investor and market watcher, and you can read his profile here.